Foster

Fosters are special people who provide TEMPORARY, loving and safe homes for animals.

Not every animal needing foster care has special needs so don’t be nervous. Many are ready for homes – they just need a place to stay!

062 258 3547 / 084 519 0380 / info@faw.za.org

WHY WE NEED FOSTERS

Animal shelters/rescue centres are overflowing; by fostering, you open up space to rescue more animals.

Animals waiting to be adopted – improves their social skills, provides basic training (e.g. house-training), and helps us find out more about their personality, likes and dislikes, and abilities.

While recovering from surgery or illness.

Young animals needing frequent feeding and attention.

Nervous or timid animals or those which may have been abused.

Animals requiring increased/special feeding due to starvation, neglect or illness.

Young animals needing extra exercise and/or training.

Animals who cannot cope with shelter life (e.g. seniors).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Foster ‘job description’

Obviously, you have to love animals and be homeoften enough to care for them!

You also need to monitor their health, spend time with them, provide basic training (e.g. housetraining), and help us network them.

Do fosters get paid?

No, fosters are unpaid volunteers (just like the people who work in the township) but we provide food for your foster, should you need us to, and cover any medical care they may need.

Can I choose my foster animal?

Yes! You specify species, size, age, sex, etc. or a specific animal, for how long you can foster at a time, and when you’re available.

You can stop fostering at any time; we respect your desicions.

Can anyone be a foster?

Fosters need to meet certain criteria such as a safe place to keep the animal, and a basic home check is needed. This is ensures that both the animal and you are suited to each other. You’ll also need to sign a contract so that everyone knows where they stand.

For normal dogs and cats, you don’t have to be home all the time, but you also can’t be constantly travelling or out at work for long hours every day. Animals with special needs or young puppies and kittens are better off with fosters who are home or able to check on them.

You don’t have to be very experienced or have special knowledge, unless it’s a special needs animal. You don’t have to have lots of money or an enormous house either!

The best fosters are stable, average homes with much love to give.

Short- and long-term fosters

Animals awaiting homes can be in foster care for anything from a week or two to several months, although we prefer them not stay too long as they can form a bond.

We desperately need short-notice and/or short-term fosters – people around Durbanville whom we can call on if we’ve uplifted up an animal (usually Tuesdays and Saturdays) and need somewhere for them to stay until we can make another plan, or if, for example, they need a couple of days to recover from surgery.

Sometimes all it takes is a spare room and an extra couple of days!

What about my own pets?

We endeavour to take foster animals for a vet check and vaccinate them beforehand. Unless the foster has specifically asked to take recovering animals, we don’t foster sick and/or contagious animals. We are upfront about any health or behavioural issues that we know of or suspect.

Nonetheless, ensure your pets’ vaccinations are up-to-date, that they are spayed/neutered, and that their health is good. Deworm them regularly.

Your own animals are your priority and, if you don’t feel they will cope with new animals, it’s best to give fostering a miss (except for situations like keeping a cat in the spare room for a day or two).

And my children?

If we know or suspect an animal isn’t good with children, we won’t send it to a home with children. Also, it’s best if your children are used to animals and know not to bother them while eating, play roughly with them, etc.

It’s important that you discuss the process with your children as they don’t always understand that it’s temporary, especially if they’re very young.

But isn’t it hard to ‘say goodbye’?

The key is to remember that it’s the only way to open up space to save another animal. Knowing that we’re strict in our rehoming helps. If you really struggle, short-term fostering is a better option. However, many fosters do end up adopting, but that’s entirely up to you!

OK, I THINK I CAN BE A FOSTER! WHAT’S NEXT?

Please email us on info@faw.za.org or phone 079 173 8260 to request an application form and arrange a home visit.